When the lights hit the stage, and the models start walking down the runway you can bet on a couple things. You can bet that they’ll be wearing the latest and greatest in fashion. You can even bet that some of them may actually look like the rest of us. But one thing you may not want to bet on is that all of the models are at least 16 and not too thin. Well, at least not until now.
The industry is beginning to take steps in the right direction in terms of health and beauty. While the need to regulate age isn’t something new for the industry, it is something many fashion designers are finally cracking down on. In the past we’ve seen young girls, most of which were way too thin walk down the runway. This prompted the Council of Fashion Designers In America to try and make some changes. Some of these would be similar to checking licenses at a bar. By checking the IDs of some of the models, they can hopefully ensure that nobody under the ‘required’ age will be strutting down the runway. [via New York Times]
They also have instilled some guidelines for all those involved in the process to follow.Whether it’s agents or designers, they’re hoping to inform them about the warning signs of eating disorders. They even suggested offering healthy snacks for all the behind the scenes time they have, in an effort to help make the industry a little more healthy. They know that these are just baby steps, and that nothing has drastically changed, but hey! progress is progress right?
In places like Madrid and Milan they’ve tried to enforce actual bans so models who are too thin or too young can’t model, but research has shown that they haven’t been followed because neither is making a drastic impact on the industry as a whole. Personally, change is change no matter how small, but here in America we took a different approach. They’ve tried to protect the models rather than ‘police’ them, and according to the industry it seems to be getting some pretty good feedback. Furthering that, Tommy Hilfiger even threw out an idea that one day models should be licensed and registered. This way there would be some sort of documentation, and way to make sure the models were of age and not looking too emaciated.
So let’s hear it? Is this a step in the right direction? Should age matter? Should models have to register? Or is it all in the name of fashion?
guest
More regulation is what we need around here. Definitely don’t let market pressure and individual choice dictate who models and what sells. Baaaaad idea.
rose / 937 posts
I don’t think age should, just put similar regulations on underage models that you get with child actors. As for weight, simply put… no. Now don’t go backlashing me, hear me out. The thing with the number on the scale is that it’s not a black-and-white issue. Yes, a 5’10 model may weigh only 110, but has she always been this slim? Does she exercise in order to stay active? Does she have muscle on her? Or is she clearly emaciated and hasn’t eaten since last month? So stricter regulations on weight should not exist, but regulations on health. Meaning that models should be provided with access to nutritionists, doctors, and trainers if desired so as to remain healthy and to not drop down to a muscle and fat mass that is unhealthy for their individual variables. They should also be provided access to mental health professionals so that their mental state can be monitored, as I’m sure that it’s a very demanding field in some respects, primarily with pressures to remain slim.
I don’t think it’s fair to ban someone for being “too thin,” much like people bitch about how “fat” models aren’t given very many opportunities. Some women are naturally slim. Just looking at a model’s weight on the scale doesn’t tell you much about her overall health, because she could be naturally slim, or simply very athletic, and thus have a smaller frame and weight but have a good amount of muscular bulk. And again with age, bring in the same (or similar) regulations placed on child actors. But don’t outright ban people for something that they may not have complete or any control over just because it might upset Group X of people.
guest
Sounds good, and lucky for Adriana Lima she snuck in before there was too much regulation heh.
guest
@ashleynicole - I agree with you. I’ve been modeling for years and even though I do photos runway is my main thing. Both of my parents have always been really skinny and growing up so have I. It doesn’t matter what I eat or how much of it I eat I always stay between 98-105 lbs. I used to freak out about it because according to charts I am supposed to weigh a lot more but short of getting pregnant I could never make those numbers. In junior high kids were really mean and said I had eating disorders and everything when I didn’. I used to try SOO hard to gain weight. My family did everything we could think of. Trying to gain muscle mass, kaltein (sp?) bars, and counting everything out before I ate it. I gain a little but if I slack off even one bit I lose it all again. When I just eat when I want, eat what I feel like eating, and eat til I’m full my body natutally regulates itself to be about 98-100 lbs. I’m done worrying about it even though people can still be really harsh. Other than the weight not matching charts doctors have told me to stop worrying. I am healthy. Modeling has been a way for me to enjoy my good genetics and given me a place where I am accepted instead of treated badly for being so small. If someone took that away from me I would be heartbroken. People are really quick to jump in and defend the bigger girls, which is fine, but sometimes they go so far the other way that they start hurting the skinny girls. That’s not fair to us
rose / 937 posts
@livinguntamed@xanga - See, I’m not even skinny and yet I still find the unequal treatment/comments to just be ridiculous. I’ve been close to being overweight, but I am really tired of the whole “omg big girls must be proud of their bodies and accept themselves, big girls are beautiful” thing while the opposite “skinny girls need to start gaining more weight, they are making us ‘real women’ feel bad about ourselves” statements to be reaaally annoying. I mean, come on. You can’t just villainize one group of people and commend its opposite group. Why is it more unjust to comment negatively on heavy girls but not so for slim girls?
magnolia / 1357 posts
@ashleynicole - Thank you. I wanted to mention that they should be focusing on overall health rather than weight.
rose / 937 posts
@not3000@xanga - that should probably be the case for a lot of professions in which size is seen as being important. Like ballet dancers.
That should probably be the case for most employers actually. Focusing on keeping your employees healthy so that thy can be more productive and happier.
sunflower / 332 posts
Age shouldn’t matter in this industry since the art of makeup can do many “miracles”. However, I do think that they should always supervise not only the model’s physical health but also the psychological as well. Any kind of disorder is caused by emotional and psychological unbalances.
guest
As long as they’re good at what they’re doing
peony / 1 posts
@livinguntamed@xanga - You are so right. I was trying to become a model but I got rejected from the first agency because they told me that I was too thin
I’ve always been naturally skinny no matter what I eat. And don’t worry people always try to tell me that I have an eating disorder too, I know that they’re just jealous because I only ever get picked on by other girls who are bigger than me.